The Battery Park City Parks Conservancy is sponsoring a number of classes for adults beginning in January. In Swim lessons (Beginner and Intermediate levels I and II), participants learn and refine various strokes and breathing techniques. Other classes include Baby and Me Swims for parents and children ages 1-3, tai chi, and yoga. Registration is open now. Prices vary, discounted for members. COMMUNITY CENTER at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers St (access: West St.) 212 267 9700, bpcparks.org.

PROMETHEUS DANCE The Boston-based company presents provocative dance theater by Artistic Directors Diane Arvanites-Noya & Tommy Neblett. 2 NYC premieres: “Devil’s Wedding,” set to music by Serart, examining the culture clash between ancient Islamic fundamentalism and the influences of contemporary life, and “Full Moon,” an intriguing combination of the tame and the feral, where the hunters become the hunted. Jan 4 & 5 at 8pm. $20 general, $15 students/seniors. JOYCE SOHO, 155 Mercer St. (at Houston). 212-334-7479. www.joyce.org.

EVENTS

Christmas at Wapos Bay In this 50-minute claymation film (2002) 3 children visit their grandparent at his cabin in the bush. When an emergency arises, they learn selfreliance and the spirit of the traditional Cree way of life. Screened daily at 1, 3 and on Thurs at 5:30 pm. Thru Jan. 6. Free. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, Screening Room, 2nd Fl., One Bowling Green, 212-514-3823, AmericanIndian.si.edu.

Competition for Recreational Musicians Best interpretation of a Bob Dylan song from :Bob Dylan Live 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert.” Register by Dec. 28. Semi-Finals at The Bitter End on Jan 8, 7pm and Finals at World Financial Center Winter Garden on Jan 11, 12:30pm. Details at thestudio.org.

Free Hearing Screenings at the League for the Hard of Hearing Every Tues. from 12-2pm and every Thurs. from 4-6pm. Call or email to schedule an appointment. League for the Hard of Hearing, 50 Broadway, 6th Fl. 917-305-7766, appointments@llh.org.

Grants for Art in Public Spaces Grants of up to $20,000 will be made to artists and arts organizations for direct costs related to the creation and presentation of art in the myriad public spaces of Lower Manhattan, including parks, plazas, building lobbies, atria, and construction sites. Deadline is Jan. 29.
Manhattan Community Arts Fund Provides grants of up to $2,000 to Manhattan artists and small nonprofit organizations to present arts projects. MCAF often provides the first grant an artist receives, helping them to leverage other funds. Supported by the NYC Dept of Cultural Affairs. Deadline is Jan. 22. For info on both grants, visit lmcc.net.

Holiday Seaport Liberty Cruises Sail past Wall Street and the Empire State Building, get an up close view of Lady Liberty, and sail underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Thru Jan. 1 at 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm. $24 adults, $14 children and $22 seniors. South Street Seaport, Pier 16.
New Year’s Eve Cruises Sailing from 2 destinations, each 3 ½ hour cruise offers an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, party favors, champagne toast at midnight, DJ entertainment, and views of the fireworks display. ZEPHYR departs at South Street Seaport, Pier 16 and tickets are $209. MISS CIRCLE LINE departs from Battery Park, Slip 3 and tickets are $139. Both board at 9:30 pm, sail at 10:00 pm and return at 1:30 am to their respective locations. 866-9CLINE1, circlelinedowntown.com.

New Year’s Eve Bell Ringing Deemed one of NY’s greatest 19th century traditions, the ringing of the bells at Trinity Church was how New Yorkers celebrated the New Year until 1904, when the tradition moved to Times Square. Dec. 31, 11:30pm-12:30am. TRINITY CHURCH, 89 Broadway (at Wall St). 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org.

Pathmark Bus Trips Weekly grocery shopping excursion open to all senior citizens every Thursday. Two van pick-up spots, 8:45am on River Terrace across from Pan Latin and at 9am on South End Ave. and Rector Pl. The van leaves Pathmark at 11am for the return trip to Battery Park City. For a reservation, call 212-945-3255. bpcnpa.org.

EXHIBITS

30th Anniversary Exhibition Featuring work by Carlos Alfonzo, Luis Frangella, Keith Haring, and David Wojnarowicz. Each of these 4 artists had early solo shows with Hal Bromm Gallery, launching successful careers tragically cut short by AIDS. 30 brings to light the important early works they created as well as the strong creative and social bonds between them. Thru March 28. HAL BROMM GALLERY, 90 W. Broadway (at Chambers St.) By appointment. 212-732-6196 or email hbartanddesign@gmail.com.

William Anthony, “Retrospective 1961-Present” The works cover 40 years of the underground artist’s development as a great counterculture satirist of the 20th and 21st centuries. Thru Jan. 16
Thatcher Keats, “The Spiritual Life of Imperfection” Cinematic photos that illuminate hidden and repressed aspects of modern culture. Thru. Jan. 29. CHRISTOPHER HENRY, 127 Elizabeth St (bet Broome & Grand). 212-244-6004, christopherhenrygallery.com.

Willard Boepple, “Room” 2 sculptures made either of poplar wood and brushed aluminum. Known for work drawn from utilitarian objects such as ladders, shelves and mechanisms with cogs, Boepple has focused his concerns on architectural reference that could contain aspect of this former work, implying human activity without human presence. Thru Feb. 16. MAIDEN LANE EXHIBITION SPACE, 125 Maiden Lane. 212-206-6061.

John F. Chang, “Through the Lens of a Dancer” Twelve 16x20” black-and-white photos of ballerinas, taken by a former dancer.
Memories, Dreams and Reflections January’s special group show gives members an opportunity to interpret this theme in a variety of formats, from traditional silver gelatin prints to digital and alternative processes.Psychologists in Focus Peer into the psyches of 11 psychologists who are also dedicated photographers. All 3 shows Jan. 3-Feb. 2. Opening reception on Jan. 3, 6-8pm. SOHO PHOTO, 15 White St (btw 6th Ave & W. Bway). 212-226-8571, sohophoto.com.

Beauty Surrounds Us 77 works from the museum’s collection features an elaborate Quechua girl’s dance outfit, a Northwest Coast chief’s staff with carved animal figures and crest designs, Seminole turtle shell dance leggings, a conch shell trumpet from pre-Columbian Mexico, a Navajo saddle blanket, and an Inupiak (Eskimo) ivory cribbage board. The exhibition includes 2 interactive media stations, at which visitors may access in-depth descriptions of each object. Thru Fall 2008.
Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast An exhibition from 11 Native communities of more than 400 objectsincluding ceremonial masks, carvings, clothing, baskets and tools. Sections are assembled by curators from the Coast Salish, Makah, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwak’wakw, Heiltsuk, Tsimshian, Gitxsan, Nisga’a, Haida, and Tlingit communities. Ongoing. Free. Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. Admission to the museum is free. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, George Gustav Heye Center, 1 Bowling Green, 212-514-3700, AmericanIndian.si.edu.

Daring to Resist: Jewish Defiance in the Holocaust This large-scale exhibition, presented in association with Ghetto Fighters’ House, Israel, brings to light the stories of men, women, and children who defied the Nazis. Thru July 2008.
The Other Promised Land: Vacationing, Identity, and the Jewish-American Dream This exhibition explores the history of Jewish vacationing in America from 1890 to the present, focusing on such legendary destinations as Atlantic City, the Catskills, Florida, Israel, and New York. Thru 2007. $10 adults/$7 seniors/$5 students. Children 12 and under are admitted free. MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE  A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Pl. 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org.

Fighting Irishmen: Celebrating Celtic Prizefighters When the Irish immigrated to New York, landing at the South Street piers, they brought this pugilistic tradition with them This exhibit traces the history of these fighting Irish, from the 19th century to the present day. Curated by James Houlihan.
Model Ships From religious artifacts to treasured collectibles to engineering prototypes, this exhibit traces the history of model watercraft from ancient times to the present.
There Once Was a Neighborhood: The Lower East Side, 1937-1950 Photographs taken by Rebecca Lepkoff capture the lives and times of a vibrant, close-knit and functional multi-ethnic community. These images uncover a forgotten time and place and reveal how the LES has both stayed the same and changed forever.
Soundings Treasures from the museum’s permanent collection, including scrimshaw, ship portraits and models, signal flags and more. All exhibitions are ongoing. $8 general admission, $6 seniors/students, $4 children 5-12, under 5s are free. SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM, 12 Fulton St (btn Front & South Sts). 212-748-8786, southstseaport.org.

Heroes This exhibit looks at the many people from diverse backgrounds who joined together to win America’s independence. Paintings on exhibit include Henry Hintermeister The Drill Master, John Ward Dunsmore’s The Message from Lexington, and Dennis Mallone Carter’s Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth. Ongoing. Adeline Moses Loeb Gallery.
If These Walls Could Talk As Manhattan’s oldest surviving building, 54 Pearl Street has witnessed nearly 3 centuries of the city’s history. Ongoing. $4, $3 seniors and children under 18, and free to children under 6. FRAUNCES TAVERN MUSEUM, 54 Pearl St. 212-425-1776, frauncestavernmuseum.com.

“I Suppose I Shall Be Impeached for It…” Theodore Roosevelt, Augustus Saint-Gaudens and America’s Most Beautiful Coin. Examples of early cameos are displayed along with classical numismatic prototypes, and the centerpiece of the exhibit is the progression of the design process for new coinage. Thru March. FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NY, 33 Liberty St. (btn Nassau & William). numismatics.org.

Pamela Lawton, “Window Collections III” This site-specific mural painting exhibition by a former artist-in-residence at the World Trade Center focuses on modern architecture. Ongoing. Atrium lobby, 180 Maiden Lane. pamelalawton.com.

Making Noise This Out of Site exhibition features artists who utilize the many modes by which sound is produced and received. Video, sculpture, audio installation, transmissions and performances by Kabir Carter, Kate Gilmore, Tom Kotik, neuroTransmitter (Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere), Nadine Robinson, Douglas Ross, and Stephen Vitiello. Thru Jan. 2. MELVILLE GALLERY at the South Street Seaport Museum, 213 Water St. 212-219-9401, lmcc.net.

Monarchs of the Sea In celebration of the ocean liner era, this permanent exhibition features plans, models and memorabilia evoking the majesty and magic of a time when ocean liners were considered the last word in luxury travel. $8 general admission, $6 seniors/students, $4 children 5-12, under 5s are free. South Street Seaport Museum, WALTER LORD GALLERY (213 Water St). 212-748-8786, southstseaport.org.

New York Modern This futuristic exhibition analyzes the predictions of the early 20th century in the work of leading architects and planners such as Hugh Ferriss, Raymond Hood, Harvey Wiley Corbett, and the Regional Plan Association, as well as science fiction imagery and futuristic films. Thru March. $5 general, $2.50 seniors/students. SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM, 39 Battery Pl (btw Little West St & 1st Pl). 212-968-1961, skyscraper.org

Policing a Changed City chronicles how the NYPD has used new technology, community outreach, and intelligence gathering to fight crime and terrorism since 9-11. Ongoing. $5 suggested donation, $3 seniors, $2 children 6-12. NYC POLICE MUSEUM, 100 Old Slip (btn South & Water Sts). 212-480-3100, nycpolicemuseum.org.

Re:Construction bridges the efforts of multiple public partners and the creative community to both highlight and enliven the process of rebuilding while improving the quality of life in Lower Manhattan through the creation of places of attraction, curiosity and anticipation. The 3 pilot projects are “Best Pedestrian Route” (John St, east of Bway); “Fulton Fence” (Fulton St east of Bway); and “Concrete Jungle” (Bway, btn John & Ann Sts). reconstructionnyc.org.

Kirstine Roepstorff, “It’s not the eyes of the needle that changed” 12 works created through a method the Germany-based artist calls “approprio-arranging,” which entails sewing, gluing, pinning, and weaving together photocopies, fabrics, glitter, paper, and images appropriated from magazines to create a poetic narrative.
Alan Saret, “Gang Drawings” 1st major museum exhibition of the pioneering artist’s work in 2 decades. Saret was part of the Post-Minimal, Soho alternative art scene in the late 1960s and early ’70s.30 drawings made with fistfuls (“gangs”) of colored pencils, made over the past 40 years. Both shows thru Feb. 7. THE DRAWING CENTER, 35 Wooster St. 212-219-2166, drawingcenter.org.

Tuesdays at 9 This weekly forum, led by Naked Angels Theater Company’s creative directors, attracts over 100 people who gather to listen and participate in cold readings of scenes, short plays and fiction. Free. TRIBECA CINEMAS, 54 Varick St. (at Laight St.). nakedangels.com.

THEATER

Culturemart The annual 2-week festival returns, providing HERE’s resident artists with an opportunity to explore the various stages of their work in excerpts or short runs at the culmination of a yearlong residency. Jan. 3-20. HERE ARTS CENTER, 145 6th Ave (btw Spring & Broome, ent. on Dominick). 212-352-3101, here.org.

OH THE HUMANITY and other exclamations 5 short plays about people like you, facing lives like yours, written by Pulitzer finalist Will Eno, and starring Marissa Tomei, Brian Hutchison and Drew Hildebrand. Plays include: Behold The Coach, In a Blazer, Uninsured; Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rain; Enter the Spokeswoman, Sideways; The Bully Composition and Oh, the Humanity. Thru Feb. 2. $50 during the week, $60 Fri and Sat. FLEA THEATER, 41 White St. (btw Broadway & Church). 212-352-3101, flea.org.

Lower East Side Stories: Walking Tour In collaboration with local residents, the museum has created a 90-minute walking tour that looks at the neighborhood’s past and present, focusing on specific sites in both historical and contemporary contexts. Sat. and Sun. 1 and 3pm. $17 adults, $13 students, and $3 seniors. The Tenement Museum, 108 Orchard St. 212-431-0233, tenement.org.

East Village Walking Tours Tues. thru Sun. at 11a.m. (weather permitting). $12, $8 LES residents. Meeting at the Astor Place “cube,” located on a traffic island in the middle of E 8th St. (btn Lafayette & 4th Ave.) eastvillagetours.com.

New Year’s Eve Jaunt Adventure on a Shoestring offers 5 walking tours in Chinatown. Each tour stops at a Chinese bakery, an herbal shop, a food emporium, a Buddhist temple, the former 5 Points area, the Edward Mooney House (built in 1785), and will end with a complete dinner (which is optional and costs $10 per person) at a Chinese restaurant. Dec. 31 at noon, 2, 4, 6, and 8pm. $10. Call for reservations and meeting places. 212-265-2663.

Public Art Walking Tours The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council offers a series of 3 theme-based, self-guided audio tours exploring the meaning, reception and context of public art Downtown. Entitled “Art and Security,” “Art and the Body,” and “Monuments and Memory,” the 45-minute tours are narrated by Perry Garvin and William Smith. Download the free tours to your iPod or other MP3 player and start walking. lmcc.net.

Wall Street Walking Tour Free 90-minute guided walking tour weaving together the history, events, architecture and people of Downtown. Thurs. and Sat. at noon. Meet at the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian. One Bowling Green, Alliance for Downtown NY, 212-606-4064, downtownny.com

Listings Requests for the Downtown Express may be mailed to Casey Easterling at 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548 or e-mailed to listings@downtownexpress.com. Please include listings in the subject line of the e-mail and provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions, call 646-452-2472.